Free When Alice Met Danny by T A Williams Page B

the life out of you.’
    ‘Not at all. I’m sure you drive a lot better than I do. Now, I can see that you are in need of a bit of a rest. I think I’ll just slip away and leave you to it.’
    ‘No, don’t, Danny. Come in for a cup of tea first. You’ve got to pick up your laptop, anyway.’ He protested weakly, but then accepted the offer on condition that she let him make the tea. She did not object. By the time he emerged from the kitchen with the two mugs, she was sprawled on the sofa, her eyes closed. She looked relaxed, happy and very, very attractive.
    He put the tea down on the table and took a seat opposite her. She did not stir, even when he knocked the pile of car magazines onto the floor. He saw that she was fast asleep. He moved her cup a little further away, in case she stretched out and spilt it. He drank his tea, enjoying watching her. On an impulse, he pulled out his phone and took her picture. Then he collected the magazines and his laptop and stood up. He pulled a scrap of paper from a pile by the phone and scribbled a few words.
    I enjoyed today very much. Hope the move goes well.
    X
    Danny
    Very quietly, he let himself out.

Chapter 16
    ‘Ready for another bucket of muck up here.’ Reg had laid this course of bricks in record time.
    Billy’s voice from below told him the mortar was on its way. As the pulley squeaked into life, Reg sat down on the parapet and allowed himself a few moments’ rest. It was a stunning view out over the old deer park. He could see clear across to Beauchamp and the sea. Although notionally at third floor height, the old manor had such a high facade that he felt like a lookout in the crow’s nest.
The scaffold must have cost a bob or two
, he thought to himself.
Mind you, there’s no shortage of money in this family
.
    ‘Muck’s on its way.’ He watched as the bucket was hauled up to the top by young Billy. He made it look very easy. All that bodybuilding came in handy. As the bucket came up level with him, Reg reached out and pulled it in, unhooking it from the pulley. He tipped the mortar out onto his board and picked up his trowel and hawk. Below him, he heard the truck pull up. He looked down to see Max emerge from the cab, his head tilting upwards.
    ‘How you doing up there, Reg?’
    ‘Another hour and I should be done.’ His brother nodded.
    ‘That should be all right. The radio was just saying there’s a storm due tonight. But the mortar should have gone off by then.’ Max pointed towards the timber in the back of the truck. ‘We’ll be working inside tomorrow, so no worries.’
    Billy came over and unclipped the tailgate. He glanced across at Max. ‘In the barn?’
    Max nodded. Billy pulled a couple of lengths of timber off the back of the truck and onto his broad shoulders. At that moment, Max’s phone started ringing. He pulled off a glove and checked the number. He didn’t recognise it, so he answered formally.
    ‘Burrell Brothers Builders. Can I help you?’
    He heard a woman’s voice on the other end of the line. ‘Good morning. My name is Alice Grant. My surveyor told me to contact you.’
    ‘Of course, Miss Grant. Peter rang me earlier this morning. He tells me you’ve bought a house in Beauchamp that needs a bit of work.’
    ‘More than a bit, I think. He’s drawn up a long list of stuff. I was wondering how you were fixed. Would there be any chance of your being able to start fairly soon?’
    After Peter’s call, Max and Reg had already discussed this. It sounded like the sort of job that could be knocked off fairly quickly. ‘That should be all right. We’re just finishing off a big job in the next few days. We are booked to start another, building three houses, at the beginning of June, but we could probably give you most of the month of May.’
    He heard her intake of breath. ‘Wow. That would be marvellous.’
    ‘Shall we meet up on site and see just what’s wanted? How about this afternoon, say about half past